Private Healthcare

People who live in England don’t have to worry about paying a bill if they need to see a doctor or be admitted to hospital. This is because everyone is covered by the National Health Scheme that is funded by working people who have money deducted from their wages to pay for National Insurance stamps. This provides free medical treatment for them selves as long as they live. People who do not work are still entitled to free medical care and in some cases free prescription drugs. Even though everyone is entitled to free heath care, many people old and young take out healthcare insurance and pension insurance , that covers them and their family should they have an accident or become too ill to work. Healthcare insurance costs vary depending on the age of the applicant and the amount of money they want to be insured for. Someone who works in a dangerous job, where there is a high risk of injury, will find the cost of Healthcare Insurance very high indeed.

In America there is no National Health scheme so people have to take out Healthcare insurance to pay the costs of medical treatment should they become ill. Most Americans are covered by their employer’s insurance scheme that covers the employee and their family. Although the employer pays a substantial amount to cover their employees for ill health very often the employee might have to contribute to meet the full cost of a medical bill. People also take out private healthcare insurance but not everyone is accepted. Anyone who has an existing medical condition will find it difficult to qualify for insurance and even if they do, the premiums would be very high. Older people between the ages of 60-64 would pay a much higher premium than those under 18. As people get older the premiums increase and many find they cannot afford to purchase healthcare insurance. This is one of the reasons why 15% of American people have no healthcare insurance. Because of this people who are uninsured will delay seeking medical care, as they cannot afford to pay the cost of the bill. In some cases people can get help from a Government program but this is mainly the elderly, the disabled, war veterans and children from low-income families. Hospitals will always treat emergency cases and sometimes help is available from certain Charities. However, there are thousands of people who cannot get help at all and leave it too late to see a doctor. Unnecessary deaths result from heart decease, high blood pressure and diabetes which could have been avoided if medical care had been asked for earlier.

President Barack Obama is trying to pass a Healthcare Reform Bill that could lead to almost all American people having some kind of Healthcare Insurance. If successful it will be the biggest change for Americans healthcare in years. There is a lot of opposition against it and with two more bills to vote on anything could happen.

How Healthcare Insurance costs vary depending on the age of a person, pre-existing medical conditions and the type of job someone does.